Stem winding and setting mechanism for watches



(No Model.)

H. ABBOTT. STEM WINDING AND SETTING MEGH'ANISM FOR WATCHES.

Patented Feb, 9, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ABBOTT, OF NEVARK, NEX" JERSEY.

STEM WINDING AND SETTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,732, dated February 9, 1888.

Application filed July 2, 1885. Serial No. 170,437. (No model.)

To all whom 1115 may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stem-Winding and Hand-Setting Attachments for Watches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a class of stem-winding and hand-setting watches in which connection is made between the stem-driven train and the dial-wheels by means of the movement endwise of the stem, and in which on the removal of the said stem from the watch the said train remains in engagement with the (liaiwheels.

My said invention consists in providing means whereby the said stem-driven train is automatically disengaged from the said dialwheels upon removing the watch-movement from its case, and has for its object to relieve the time-train and mainspring from the additional strain put upon them by such engagement of the stem-driven train with the dialwheels, and thus enable the watch-movement to run and keep time when said movement is separated from its case.

Stem-winding watches of the class to which my improvement relates are fully and particularly described in Letters Patent No. 280,719, dated July 3, 1883, and No. 295, l8i, dated March 18, 1884, which latter was reissued,No. 10,580, April 14, 1885. These watches, as therein described and as heretofore constructed and for sale in this market, have their stemdriven trains normally, or whenever the stem is removed therefrom, in engagement with the dial-wheels, thus adding the weight and friction of the stem-winding mechanism to the time-train of the watch, and rendering it impracticable to run or regulate the watchmovement when said movement is separated from its case, which is often desirable or necessary.

I attain the objects above stated by adding to the movement, constructed as described in the above-named patents,the cam O and spring 1 said cam being pivoted to the plate B by means of a shoulder-screw, b, and having its longer arm bent outward and projecting beyond the periphery of the movement, and having its shorter arm actuating upon the yoke G in such a manner as to disengage the intermediate settingwheel from the dial-wheels, except when the said movement is in its case, when the longer arm of the cam O is pressed in by contact with the flanged bearing of the case-center, and the yoke G is released and free to resume its normal position or to be acted upon by the movements of the stem in the usual manner, the spring P being also attached to the plate B, and being adapted to hold the cam O with a yielding pressure in the position above described.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a watch of the class described in Letters Patent No. 280,719, with my improvement added, showing the position of the parts while in the case, but with the stem removed, and having its stem-driven trainin engagement with the dial-wheels. Fig. 2 is a like view of the same movement when separated from its case, showing my improvement in position with the stem-train automatically disengaged from the dial-wheels. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a watch of the class described in Letters Patent No. 295,484, showing the cam O reversed and of a shape suited to the modified form of yoke on which it acts, with the parts in position as in the case; Fig. 4, the same when separated from the case. Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the cam O as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 6, an enlarged view of the cam as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in each of the views.

A represents a portion of a watch-case; B, the main or pillar plate; 0, the stem; D, the hollow pinion of the stem-train; E, the crownwheel; F, the hub on which the crown-wheel E and yoke G are pivoted.

H is the intermediate winding-wheel.

I is the barrel-arbor wheel or main windingwheel; K, the minute-wheel and cannon-pinion also called the dial-wheels, L, the intermediate setting-wheel.

N is a spring-lever on the under side of the plate B, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3,) said spring-lever being connected with a stud on the outer end of the yoke G and bearing against the inner end of the sliding bar R, thus communicating the movement; of the stem 0 endwise through the sliding bar R to the yoke G to turn said yoke on its pivot.

S is a lever, Figs. 1 and 2, the longer arm of which also acts as a spring and rests against the outer end of the yoke G when in position for winding, the shorter end acting on the inner end of the yoke G when in position for setting the hands. The lever Sis firmly fixed to an arbor, U, which passes through andis journaled in the plate B, and having firmly fixed on itsinner endthe arm T, which acts on the inner end of the sliding bar R.

V is a spring acting 011 the arm T.

In watches of the class herein described the stem 0 is usually a fixture of the case.

The operation is as follows: The movement being placed in the case and the stem forced in to the inner limit of its motion endwise,the sliding bar R pushes the spring-leverl\ or the arm T in, causing the yoke G to turn on its pivot and bring the stem-train in gear with the barrel-arbor wheel I. The watch may then be wound. Upon withdrawing the stem to the outer limit of the motion the lever N or arm T will follow it, causing the yoke G to turn on its pivot sufficiently to disengage the stemtrain from the wheel I and engage it with the dial-wheels K. Rotation of the stem will then set the hands. Upon removing the movement from its case the cam O is released from its confinement within and against the edge of the case-center and its longer arm will project beyond the periphery of the movement, being forced out by the pressure of the spring P, while the shorter arm presses against the yoke G, causing said yoke to turn on its pivot until the stem-train is disengaged from the dialwheels K and the movement is free to run and keep time in the same manner as if in the case with the stem placedin position to wind. It is evident that the cam 0 could be made to act upon the lever N or the arm T with the same result.

Having thus fully described the nature and merits of my invention, whatl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improvement in a stem-winding and hand-setting watch having a pivoted yoke that is shiftable by the movement endwise of the stem, the cam O and spring P, adapted to automatically disengage the stem-train from the dial-wheels upon removing the watchmovement from its case, substantially as described, and for the purpose stated.

2.-As an improvement in a stem-winding and hand-setting watch, the combination of the cam 0, case A, plate B, spring P, and yoke G, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of June, 1885.

HENRY ABBOTT.

lVitnesses:

SAM. B. MANN, ALBERT KAMP. 

